Some of you will remember enjoying the webcast of the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which brings together 30 of the world's finest pianists under 30 every 4 years to Fort Worth, Texas. The Cliburn is one of the world's premier piano competitions and is the preeminent one in North America.

Every once in a while, the Van Cliburn Foundation puts on an International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. Participants must be at least 35 years old and must not derive their primary income from piano or music.

This year's installment of the competition has begun and runs through May 29. Find the free webcast here at http://www.cliburn.org. Enjoy!

I assume in this case videotapes which are then screened by a jury. For the grand quadrennial Van Cliburn competition last held in 2009 and next to be held in 2013, there are videotapes, which lead to invitations to in-person auditions (open to the public) worldwide.

Whoever played the Beethoven variations last (with the page-turner) was awful. The current player from Japan is OK although I'm at the Khatchaturian Toccata which I played in high school purely as a show piece, not as a substantive one.

There was a fantastic player earlier (Darlene Cusick, IIRC) who played a very difficult Barber sonata. Also some pretty good players before her in the first group.

All the preliminary round performances have been archived here, and I'm playing the archived preliminary performances of those who advanced to the semis in the background while I study for an exam.

Even though this is an amateur competition, I like to look for a combination of (subjective) beautiful soundscapes and (objective) technical clarity and accuracy. So far I'm listening to Christopher Sarzynski and he's doing a great job on the Debussy and Chopin.

The competition was wonderful.
There are many gifted pianists who pursue other fields "to earn a living".
Dr. Shih was a deserving winner - one of several terrific performers.
What a enjoyable week of listening it was.

Related note: the Tchaikovsky Competition is going on in Russia right now. Van Cliburn shot to fame in both the US and USSR back in the day when, as an American at the height of the Cold War, he won the first Tchaikovsky Competition. The Soviets went nuts (in a good way) over him, and he was honored with a ticker tape parade in New York upon returning home.